The Election Commission has requested a report from the West Bengal chief secretary regarding actions taken against officials accused of illegally adding voters to electoral rolls in two districts. The commission seeks clarification on the lack of disciplinary measures.
India
-Krishna Kripa
The
Election
Commission
(EC)
has
demanded
a
report
from
West
Bengal’s
chief
secretary
within
72
hours.
This
follows
allegations
against
four
state
officials
for
unlawfully
adding
names
to
voter
lists
in
two
districts.
The
EC
had
earlier
advised
suspending
these
officials
and
initiating
criminal
proceedings.
The
accused
officials
are
Debottam
Dutta
Chowdhury,
Biplab
Sarkar,
Tathagat
Mondal,
and
Sudipto
Das.
image
The
Election
Commission
has
requested
a
report
from
the
West
Bengal
chief
secretary
regarding
actions
taken
against
officials
accused
of
illegally
adding
voters
to
electoral
rolls
in
two
districts.
The
commission
seeks
clarification
on
the
lack
of
disciplinary
measures.
The
alleged
irregularities
occurred
in
Purba
Medinipur
and
South
24
Parganas
districts.
The
EC’s
letter
to
the
chief
secretary
referenced
an
earlier
directive
dated
5
August
2025.
This
directive
called
for
the
suspension
of
the
officials
and
the
initiation
of
disciplinary
actions,
including
filing
FIRs
against
them.
Action
Against
Alleged
Irregularities
Despite
repeated
instructions,
former
Chief
Secretary
Manoj
Pant
reportedly
did
not
act
on
the
EC’s
directives.
The
EC
official
stated,
“Even
after
our
repeated
orders,
FIRs
were
not
filed.” Consequently,
district
magistrates
have
now
been
asked
to
take
action.
The
situation
intensified
when
Chief
Minister
Mamata
Banerjee
accused
the
EC
of
intimidating
state
officials
during
a
meeting
in
Jhargram.
The
state’s
Home
Department’s
special
commissioner
had
requested
the
withdrawal
of
the
FIR
directive,
arguing
it
was
excessive
for
minor
mistakes.
Ensuring
Electoral
Integrity
The
EC
has
remained
firm
on
its
stance,
stating
that
no
lapses
in
implementing
electoral
law
will
be
tolerated.
Before
the
Special
Intensive
Revision
(SIR),
the
poll
body
instructed
the
state
government
to
suspend
the
officials
and
conduct
inquiries
into
the
alleged
addition
of
ghost
voters.
In
compliance
with
a
Supreme
Court
order
dated
19
January
2026,
the
EC
also
communicated
with
West
Bengal’s
chief
secretary
and
police
director
general.
They
were
directed
to
maintain
strict
law
and
order
during
SIR
proceedings.
Directives
for
SIR
Proceedings
The
EC
outlined
that
SIR-related
document
collection
and
hearings
should
occur
at
gram
panchayat
bhavans,
block
offices,
public
places
at
taluka
levels,
and
ward
offices
in
urban
areas.
Adequate
manpower
must
be
provided
by
the
state
government
to
assist
the
chief
electoral
officer.
District
collectors
and
police
superintendents
have
been
instructed
to
deploy
sufficient
staff
and
forces
to
ensure
smooth
SIR
proceedings.
The
EC
warned
that
any
disruption
or
non-compliance
would
lead
to
strict
action.
Assurances
from
Election
Commission
Chief
Election
Commissioner
Gyanesh
Kumar
assured
West
Bengal
residents
that
no
one
would
be
allowed
to
flout
the
law.
He
promised
stringent
action
against
any
such
attempts.
In
a
letter
to
Chief
Electoral
Officer
Manoj
Agarwal,
the
EC
emphasized
strict
adherence
to
Supreme
Court
orders
regarding
SIR.
The
letter
detailed
steps
for
publicly
displaying
affected
voters’
names,
document
submission
through
authorised
representatives,
and
mandatory
hearings
by
ERO/AERO.
All
authorities
were
instructed
to
ensure
full
implementation
of
these
directions
promptly.
The
EC’s
actions
aim
to
uphold
electoral
integrity
in
West
Bengal
by
addressing
alleged
voter
list
irregularities
and
ensuring
compliance
with
legal
directives
during
SIR
proceedings.
With
inputs
from
PTI
